ANIMALS OF ALL KINDS

What county fair would be complete without animals? We have all kinds at our fair. Some are there to be in competition. Some are there to help their handlers as they compete with others in how they have trained their animals. And some are there simply to be displayed so people can learn about them.

A great deal of care is taken with all the animals that are at the fair. Some are there all week long and others, like the pets come in just for their specific competition day.

Here are some pictures of what can be seen at our fair. It is a very small representation as I don't want to bore anyone to death here and I would like you to come back and visit again.

We have lots of cows and cattle at our fair. They are among my favorite animals to visit with. I love their eyes. Last year it was decided that we should have a milking parlor where fair goers could come and learn where the milk they drink comes from. Yes you would be amazed how many people don't stop to think that milk is not simply produced at a bottling plant and then shipped to their local store. this picture shows the use of milking machines, but several times during the day they bring in a couple of cows and let the public attempt to milk them the old fashioned way. That is alway fun to watch. You just don't want to sit too close....if you know what I mean.

I think the goats are my favorite animal at the fair. Of course I am somewhat biased as when my kids, no pun intended for those who know about goats, were in 4-H they worked with goats. No we did not keep any in our suburban backyard, but friends from 4-H who had small farms let our kids work and learn with theirs. They are amazingly smart animals and very very friendly. When you go down to the goat barn all you have to do is look into their pen and they will come right over to you wanting to nuzzle. When we worked with goats they were all dairy goats. Now however they have branched out and there are meat goat clubs. I am happy to have been only with dairy goats.

When you visit the "livestock" barns there will be animals belonging to 4-Her's as well as regular adult farmers. But the pet shows are limited to 4-Her's. There isa regular pet show for all types of pets and then also special handling and agility shows for dogs and their owners. I love watching the dogs go through their paces with their handlers on the agility course. Some are amazing and very focused on the task at hand. Others....well lets just say to the chagrin of their handlers they get caught up in just being dogs and getting sidetracked when an interesting scent in the straw catches their attention. That would have been Mr. Snuggles, our dog. But then he was a beagle and I don't remember seeing any beagles in this competition. If there was a smell he just had to follow it.....

Right outside the 4-H building the department of natural resources from MD and a private animal rescue group had a display of various raptors and birds of prey. They had various types of hawks, falcons and owls. I fell in love with a cute little screech owl. He was only about 6 inches tall, but the lighting was not good where they had him and so I had to settle for picture of this barn owl. There was a lot of information here not only on the birds themselves but also what needed to be done to protect them.

This is only a small selection of the animals at our fair. Of course there were chickens, ducks, roosters, sheep, pigs, horses and bunnies. All those things that go into making a fair a fair.